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MACHINE SAFETY
system will incorporate pre-filtration, a main High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a layer of activated carbon to filter and contain vapours and gases.
It is worth remembering that lasering certain materials will require particular attention – for example, PVC which can give off hydrogen chloride which is corrosive and hazardous to health (HSE RR797).
Likewise, filtration systems designed for certain printing processes need to take account of potential chemical reactions, for example, those involving the use of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK). There are also challenges that go beyond managing dust and fume emissions, particularly where extraction systems are linked to processes at risk of thermal events. This might occur where combustible dust is emitted from the interaction between, say a laser and the material being worked, which could potentially be drawn into the filtration system. In these situations, managers should specify a system which benefits from fire-resistant materials for casings and filters, thermal cut-out protection and technology, such as BOFA’s Spark Arrestor 2 and FireBOX to mitigate the risk of burning particulate entering the extraction system. The precise design of each system will require
in-depth analysis of many different variables to ensure correct mitigation of risk. Maintaining optimal performance is key to productivity, which is where automated control systems, such as BOFA’s iQ operating platform, come into their own. This features a host of functions and innovations, including onboard data logs and real-time system condition visualisation so operators can monitor whole system performance.
In short, better operational data and information means better extraction performance, enabling planned filter exchanges linked to production scheduling, thereby avoiding unnecessary downtime. Finally, extraction systems also need to be maintained in step with local regulatory requirements to help safeguard the contribution that filtration technology can make to productivity and to maintain its value as an important contributor to a wider health and safety programme. To ensure your extraction system is operating at optimal efficiency, the following actions should be undertaken on a regular basis:
Disconnect and check hoses for any blockages
Log filter changes
Run your extraction system at the lowest possible speed to reduce wear on internal components
Make sure staff are adequately trained.
BOFA International
www.bofainternational.com
SMART BOX DETECTION FOR SAFE CONTINUOUS MATERIAL FLOW
S
ICK has launched an industry-first safety light curtain system for Smart Box Detection, designed to enable the continuous safe material flow of cartons or cuboid goods at the entry or exit points of protected areas, while safeguarding people from dangerous materials- handling, conveying or packaging machinery. The SICK Smart Box Detection system is a plug-and- play automation solution for the SICK deTec4 Safety Light Curtain. It uses intelligent pattern recognition to detect cuboid objects, and even some cylindrical goods that produce a cuboid-shaped silhouette, and differentiate them from people. Unnecessary stoppages are therefore avoided, for example at the in- and outfeeds of packaging machinery, or close to loading and unloading machinery in intralogistics facilities. The protected area above the material remains safeguarded by the light curtain at all times. The SICK deTec4 Smart Box Detection is the first safety system of its kind to facilitate safe material flow without having to receive signals from an external machine controller. It removes the need to use muting sensors, which take up space, require maintenance and can be easily knocked or damaged.
The SICK deTEC4 Smart Box Detection system can also replace the tunnel guards that are frequently used to provide protection at the openings of machines. As a result, the maximum distance to the hazard can be reduced by more than half. The SICK Smart Box Detection system is quick and easy to configure using dip switches integrated into the SP2 system plug, so there is no requirement to use a laptop or software. There is also no need for any additional teach-in, programming, mounting or wiring. Each system can be configured to meet the needs of the application, and if objects of different heights and lengths are being detected, for example on a conveyor, there is no need to teach them in or to adjust the configuration of the safety solution. Martin Kidman, SICK UK’s market product manager for Safety Solutions, comments: “Installing a SICK Smart Box Detection system can improve productivity
significantly. This will be welcomed both by machine builders and end users in a wide range of industrial and logistics facilities e.g. in goods inward areas where top- and sideloaders are in operation; or in secondary packaging lines, or on the outfeed of rejected boxes. “There are also both cost- and space- saving benefits from installing Smart Box Detection. Machine designers can build new machinery in a smaller footprint, while production teams can remove tunnels, or eliminate the need to keep an inventory of muting sensors, for example.” “Using SICK’s innovative deTec4 safety light curtain means boxes can also be measured, if needed, without additional sensors by transmitting beam data over IO-Link. The user could then combine with speed data to calculate volume. Diagnostic information accessed via either Near Field Communications or IO-Link makes it easier for operators to investigate machine stoppages in real time, as well as making informed service decisions for predictive machine maintenance.” The SICK deTec4 Prime offers protective field heights in increments from 300mm to 2,100mm and a choice of finger (14mm) or hand (30mm) resolution providing protection against operator intervention in accordance with ISO 13855 in applications covering up to 21 metres. It is a Type 4 device (IEC 61496), enabling compliance in applications with requirements up to PLe (ISO 13849) and SIL 3 (IEC 62061).
SICK
www.sick.co.uk
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